Sunday & pregnancy discoveries

So today Miss Ava decided she was going to have a low active type day. These days always make me alarmed. I have gotten to know her patterns distinctly over the last few weeks, so when she does something that isn't normal for her, I tend to freak out a bit. (for good reason) With all the things that can occur in pregnancy I'd rather be overly cautious then not cautious enough. I think it's also the classic case of first time mom worries. So anyways, I used a doppler today because I was so freaked out. I don't know why I chose to do that when I'd been out and about and I wasn't even home. As soon as I got home for the evening I drank some apple juice, laid down in bed, and sure enough this little girl is moving just fine. It's weird but I even think I feel her heartbeat. I put my hands underneath my belly and I feel rhythmic beating, like it's Ava's heart. I haven't felt anything like that before. It was actually pretty neat. On another note my belly has undeniably gotten HUGE and hard. Growing baby ! I'm excited to see how much Ava weighs at my appointment on Tuesday. Also, I was looking back at all the things I've learned during my pregnancy and I have three that I'd like to share:

AMAZON.COM:  After discovering amazon, I will never pay full retail for anything ever again. A lot of first time parents use Babies r us, Target, etc.  Justin and I would have been one of those parents. THANK GOD for mommy friends and their word of mouth advertisement. I was able to cut our baby budget almost in half by using amazon. You've got third party sellers and really competitive prices because it is a virtual store. I used main stream stores as a reference. If I saw something I liked, I price checked it on amazon.

EDUCATE: There are so many mothers out there that LOVE to give their opinions about their pregnancy experiences, their labor experiences, or their parenting styles. Sometimes unintentionally these stories can worry first time moms. If you are unsure about anything during pregnancy or have concerns about what parenting styles will be best for you, READ READ READ, ask your OBGYN or nurse. The parenting styles Justin and I have decided on are a bit different from the mom friends I have. I was able to come to my own decisions through extensive research and feedback from my doctor. Don't fear that you are doing something wrong or that your decisions aren't justified. Just make sure that you take the time to do your homework.

BONDING: I had trouble with this a lot during my first trimester and up until I was about 20 weeks in my second trimester. I was always in fear that something was going to happen to my baby. That I would be sleeping wrong, eating incorrectly, you name it I was frantic about it. If I could do it over, I would have worried less and expressed my happiness EVEN MORE. Moms have an awesome opportunity to bond with their growing babies the entire 9 months they are in our wombs. Don't let the fear of " what if's" get the best of you during pregnancy. No matter the outcome we all have this precious miracle growing within us.

                                       

This would be my little angel, Ava Leilani. 

Photo Credit: victoriasimmonsphotography